The National Judicial College

What The National Judicial College does

The National Judicial College (NJC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 1963 in Reno, Nevada, that provides continuing judicial education to U.S. state, federal, tribal, military, administrative, and limited-jurisdiction judges, as well as professional mediators and international judges. Its core offering is an in-person and online course catalog spanning general jurisdiction trial skills, administrative law, judicial writing, mediation, evidence, ethics, tribal courts, water rights, and emerging topics such as AI and the rule of law, supplemented by a self-paced NJC On-Demand platform built on the Docebo SaaS learning management system. Distinctive assets include the "judges teaching judges" faculty model drawing on hundreds of volunteer judges, the Professional Certificate Program across six specialized areas, affiliated Master's and doctoral degrees with the University of Nevada, Reno (the only Doctor of Judicial Studies in the world), and seven specialized collaborations including the National Tribal Judicial Center and Dividing the Waters.

NJC's revenue is generated through a mix of one-time course tuition and registration fees (typically $989-$1,999 plus conference fees), donations from individuals, law firms, foundations, and corporations across tiered giving levels, endowment income under a 6.0% spending policy with named endowments starting at $50,000, cy pres awards from unclaimed settlement funds, and institutional partnerships (e.g., Harvard Law School Executive Education, American Bar Association, state bar associations). It reaches customers through a multi-channel distribution model combining an online registration portal, phone enrollment, the Docebo-powered On-Demand platform, in-person courses delivered across multiple U.S. cities, webinars, and custom courses for organizations. As of January 2026, leadership transitioned to Aviva Abramovsky as the 12th President & CEO and first woman in the role, alongside a reconstituted Board of Trustees.

Name

The National Judicial College

Legal name

The National Judicial College

Website

https://judges.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Judicial College is a 501(c)(3) founded in 1963 in Reno, Nevada that provides continuing judicial education to U.S. and international judges through in-person courses, a Docebo-powered online platform, certificate programs, and affiliated graduate degrees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Judicial Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Courts (92211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Judicial Courts & Court Administration (BPAIAFAA)

Keywords

• Judicial education
• Judge training
• Judicial studies degrees
• Court professional development
• Continuing legal education

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition and Registration Fees: NJC generates revenue through course tuition fees. In-person courses typically have course fees ranging from $989-$1,999 plus additional conference fees. Examples include Administrative Law: Fair Hearing at $1,999 plus $649 conference fee, Advanced Civil Mediation at $989 plus $318, and Judicial Writing at $1,599 plus $399. Courses are offered in various formats including in-person, online, webinars, and self-study.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: NJC accepts donations at various levels from $25 (Friend of the Court) to $100,000+ (Named Endowment). The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID #942427596) and receives donations from individuals, law firms, foundations, and corporations. Recurring donation options are available.
3. Endowment Fund Management: The NJC maintains an endowment with a spending policy capped at 6.0% of assets based on a five-year rolling average. Named endowments require minimum $50,000 for scholarship funds and $100,000 for programming funds. The endowment provides permanent income stream for College operations and generates scholarship proceeds.
4. Cy Pres Awards: NJC receives cy pres awards when funds from settlements or judgments go unclaimed. In 2022, a bank fraud lawsuit awarded the College $400,000 in cy pres funds for judicial education. These funds support course development and increased access for judges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Judicial College provides continuing education and professional development to judicial officers through in-person courses (e.g., General Jurisdiction, Administrative Law: Fair Hearing, Judicial Writing, Advanced Civil Mediation), online learning via the NJC On-Demand platform, webinars, self-study, a Professional Certificate Program in six disciplines, and affiliated Master's and Doctoral degrees in Judicial Studies with the University of Nevada, Reno. It also delivers specialized programs including the National Tribal Judicial Center, Dividing the Waters (water rights), and the Artificial Intelligence and the Rule of Law initiative.

Product overview

The National Judicial College offers a comprehensive suite of judicial education products and services centered around its core course catalog. The primary offerings include in-person courses such as Administrative Law: Fair Hearing (JS 612), Advanced Civil Mediation, Judicial Writing (JS 615), and General Jurisdiction—taught predominantly by volunteer judges. These are complemented by the NJC On-Demand online learning platform (built on Docebo SaaS) for self-paced access to courses and webinars. The Professional Certificate Program provides certification across six disciplines including Administrative Law, Appellate Skills, and Tribal Judicial Skills. Advanced educational credentials are available through affiliated Master's and Ph.D. degree programs with the University of Nevada, Reno. Specialized programs address niche areas including the National Tribal Judicial Center, Dividing the Waters (water rights), and Artificial Intelligence and the Rule of Law. The College also publishes resources including Bench Books, Case in Point Magazine, and election law materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Administrative Law: Fair Hearing (JS 612) An intensive 8-day foundational course for new state and federal administrative law judges and hearing officers covering fair hearing procedures, case management, and decision writing. Includes small group discussions, role playing, mock hearings, and networking. Course fee $1,999 plus $649 conference fee.
• Advanced Civil Mediation A 2-day skills-oriented course for experienced mediators who have completed a 40-hour mediation training program, covering AI in dispute resolution, emotional intelligence, and advanced negotiation techniques. Course fee $989 plus $318 conference fee.
• Judicial Writing (JS 615) 4-day advanced composition course applying writing principles to judicial documents including opinions, findings of fact, conclusions of law, and jury instructions. Includes one-on-one consultations with faculty. Sold out in 2024 and 2025. Course fee $1,599 plus $399 conference fee.
• General Jurisdiction Course Legendary introductory course for newly appointed and elected state trial judges that has trained tens of thousands of judges from all 50 states. The flagship offering of NJC.
• NJC On-Demand Self-paced online learning platform providing 24/7 access to webinars, courses, and educational resources for judges. Powered by the Docebo SaaS learning management system at judges.docebosaas.com/learn.
• Professional Certificate Program Certification program offering six specialized areas: Administrative Law Adjudication Skills, Appellate Judicial Skills, Leadership Enrichment & Jurisprudence Skills, General Jurisdiction Trial Skills, Special Court Trial Skills, and Tribal Judicial Skills.
• Master's and Doctoral Degrees in Judicial Studies Graduate degree program affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno offering a master's and doctorate in judicial studies; the Doctor of Judicial Studies is the only such program in the world. NJC courses qualify for credits toward these degree programs.
• Artificial Intelligence and the Rule of Law Program Program addressing AI and its implications for the judiciary and rule of law.
• National Tribal Judicial Center Subdivision of NJC dedicated to providing comprehensive educational programming for tribal courts covering the depth and breadth of tribal judicial administration. The most extensive tribal judicial education program in the nation.
• Dividing the Waters Program connecting justices, judges, special masters, and referees who preside over water litigation with training resources for resolving water allocation disputes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of surveyed judges would take another NJC course
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, specialized, flagship and major.

• University of Nevada, RenocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated Judicial Studies Graduate Degree Program offers a master's and doctoral degree in judicial studies. The Doctor of Judicial Studies is the only such program in the world. NJC courses qualify for credits toward these degree programs.
• National Tribal Judicial CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubdivision of NJC dedicated to providing comprehensive educational programming for tribal courts. The most extensive tribal judicial education program in the nation.
• Dividing the WatersspecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram connecting justices, judges, special masters, and referees who preside over water litigation with training resources to resolve difficult disputes about water allocation.
• Appellate Judges Education InstitutespecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing education specifically for appellate judges through summits and specialized programming.
• Reynolds Center for Courts & MediaspecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonald W. Reynolds Courts and Media Center Endowment supporting education on the intersection of the judiciary and the media.
• Judicial Resilience AlliancespecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration focused on building judicial resilience and supporting judges through challenging periods.
• National Judicial SummitflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor collaborative event bringing together judges to discuss 'The Foundation and Future of the Judiciary' held in Santa Fe, NM (June 8-10, 2026).
• Judges Listening: Conversations with AmericaspecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement initiative preparing judges for conversations with the public. Events held in various cities including Atlanta.
• Reading & RobesspecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiteracy program collaboration combining reading education with judicial outreach.
• Harvard Law School Executive EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative program 'Judicial Executive Leadership' offered through Harvard Law School Executive Education for senior judicial leaders. Held in Boston, MA (July 13-16, 2026).
• American Bar AssociationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorABA Judicial Division and various chapters collaborate with NJC. ABA House of Delegates and multiple ABA commissions and divisions promote NJC courses.
• State Bar Associations and Legal OrganizationsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVarious state bar associations including New York State Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Foundation, Maryland State Bar Foundation, and others promote NJC courses and provide scholarships.
• International Programs PartnersspecializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborations including Judicial Renaissance programs held in Bordeaux, Seoul, Athens, Lisbon, and planned for Japan. Former dean Ernest Friesen consulted for court systems in Ukraine, Jordan, Bahrain, and Haiti.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• International Association of Judges (IAJ): IAJ is an international non-profit association of judges focused on judicial independence and international judicial cooperation. It is a comparable peer in international judicial education, complementing NJC's international programs.

Direct peers

• Practising Law Institute (PLI): PLI is a leading provider of continuing legal education for attorneys, offering live programs, on-demand courses, and webcasts. It is a peer in the legal continuing education market with similar revenue model (course tuition) and broad customer base.
• National Center for State Courts (NCSC): NCSC is a non-profit dedicated to improving the administration of justice in state courts, providing research, consulting, and educational services to state court judges and administrators. It directly overlaps NJC's mission of state judicial education and improvement.
• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ): NCJFCJ provides specialized education and training for juvenile and family court judges, comparable to NJC's specialized programs (Tribal Judicial Center, Dividing the Waters). It is a direct peer in the judicial education vertical serving a judge-only audience.
• National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA): NITA provides trial advocacy training for lawyers and judges, including specialized programs similar to NJC's skill-oriented courses. It is a direct peer in the legal skills education market with comparable delivery formats (in-person and online).
• National Association of State Judicial Educators (NASJE): NASJE is a professional association for state judicial branch educators, supporting those who design and deliver judicial education. It is a direct peer in the judicial education ecosystem, with comparable training content and judge-centric focus.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Judicial Center: The Federal Judicial Center is the federal judiciary's primary education and research agency, providing training and continuing education for federal judges. It is the closest direct counterpart to NJC at the federal level, sharing the judicial education mission and curriculum development focus.
• Thomson Reuters Institute / West Legal Education: Thomson Reuters provides legal publishing, training, and continuing education through West LegalEdcenter. It is a broad incumbent in legal education with overlapping continuing education offerings for lawyers and judges.
• LexisNexis Legal Education: LexisNexis provides legal research, training, and professional development for legal professionals. It is a broad incumbent in legal education with comparable content delivery and online learning infrastructure.

Emerging players

• American Bar Association (ABA) Judicial Division: ABA Judicial Division provides educational resources and programs for judges. As a partner/funder of NJC, it is also a potential competitor offering judicial education content through its broader professional membership network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thenjc
• Facebookfacebook.com/thenjc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-judicial-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National Judicial College